Transfer ribbon manufacture



Patented Apr. 11, 1950 TRANSFER RIBBON MANUFACTURE Douglas A. Newman, Port Washington, N. 2., assignor to Columbia Ribbon and Carbon Manufacturing Company, Inc., Glen Cove, N. Y.,'a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application March 26, 1946, Serial No. 657,332

12 Claims. (Cl. 197-472) This invention relates to an improvement in the manufacturing of transfer ribbons, particularly those having a foundation of paper or paper-like material, rather than a textile fabric,

with a coating of transfer composition on one surface thereof, especially a, composition for making master copies forhectcgraph duplication. A

In the manufacture of transfer ribbons of the aforesaid type, the usual procedure involves application of a transfer composition as a coating to a foundation of pliable non-textile membranous fabric of porous structure, particularly paper or paper-like materials, or a laminated structure of paper with a backing of film, e. g.

of cellulose acetate or regenerated cellulose, or paper coated on its rear surface with a varnish or lacquer. The transfer composition usually contains a pigment or dye, a wax or wax-like material, softening oils or plasticizers, and in some cases, a volatile solvent. In the case of hectograph ribbons, the transfer coating composition contains a water or spiritsoluble dye, usually in crystalline form suspended in the wax-like vehicle, while in the case of ordinary a web of substantial width, and ribbons of suitable width for use in typewriters, hectowriters or similar devices are then cut lengthwise from the web. 'By reason of the inclusion of insoluble,

pigment or dye the transfer compositions employed as set out above are not homogeneous, and

when they are applied in the ordinary manner to a foundation of the aforesaid type, they tend to fcrma skin or surface film of relatively stickyplasticized wax which has a tendency to stick to the guides and rollers of a typing machine.

Moreover, when transfer ribbons are cut from {a web of' coated fabric, the cutting operation dislodges or loosens particles of the transfer' composition at the edge of the ribbon and usually produces whiskers, nicks and slittings at the edge of the ribbon.

' Thus, ;the usual" method for cutting transfer ribbons of-adesired w'idth invo1ves','first, reelribbon than at the other.

ing a full-width web coated with a transfer composition on a spool, such as a tube of cardboard, placing the resulting roll on a powerdriven spindle on which it is rotated, and cutting the roll at right angles to its axis by means of a power-driven rotary circular blade, into a series of spools of ribbon of desired width. A large number of spools of ribbon of desired width can be rapidly and simply produced in this manner. A fairly clean out can be made in a roll with a well sharpened blade of perfectly circular shape, properly centered and mounted to run true in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the roll, but in practice, the cutting blade is subject to rapid deterioration, soon wearing out of round. The cutting force, being uneven, tends to cause flexure of the blade. Moreover, the blade has a flat surface facing the uncut roll, and a bevelled edge facing the ribbon being cut. Resistance to lateral displacement of the latter tends to flex the blade, accentuating unevenness in the cutting effect. As a result, particles of transfer composition are loosened or dislodged, and nicks, whiskers and slittings are formed at the edge of the ribbon, especially at the side facing the bevelled edge of the blade. Moreover, as the blade approaches the center of the roll, its peripheral speed relative to the roll increases, generating increasing amounts of heat sometimes sufficient to scorch the ribbon and further facilitating dislodgment of transfer composition. Variation in the cutting force as the blade approaches the center of the roll sets up uneven tension in the ribbon, tending to cause the transfer composition to adhere to the contiguous rear surface of the ribbon, especially when the spool is stored for a time before use.

Most of the dislodged particles of transfer composition adhere to the rear surface of the ribbon, larger amounts being present at one edge than at the other. When such transfer ribbons, especially those coated with a hectograph composition, are used in a typing device such as a typewriter or hectowriter, the dislodged .or loosened particles of transfer composition are deposited on the ribbon guides and gradually build. up to form pressure points which resist theintermitt'ent feeding movement of the ribbon. Since one edge of the ribbon is usually in worsecondition than the other, the pressure points develop more quickly at one side of the During operation of the ribbon feeding mechanism, the ribbon catches at the pressure points, often tearing under the feedingtension applied thereto, particu- .to be absorbed by the paper foundation, leaving larly when a nick in the edge of the ribbon is adjacent to the pressure point. Moreover, the loose particles of transfer material adhering to the ribbon become dislodged and fall on operating parts of the machine and on the copy being made, producing unsightly specks, and the hands of the operator become soiled in handling the machine, making the production of clean copies extremely difficult.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a method for producing transfer coated ribbons of the aforesaid type, particularly hectograph ribbons, which do not have loosened or dislodged particles of transfer composition adhering at the edges or to the back of the ribbon, which do not have a sticky skin of wax on their surface, which do not" stick. to the guides or rollers of a typing machine, which do not deposit transfer composition onsaid guides or rollers or on other parts of the machine, and which produce clearer and sharper copies than those ordinarily obtained.

I have discovered that the foregoing disadvantages in transfer ribbons cut from a relatively wide web comprising a flexible membranous nontextile foundation of paper or paper-like material, and coated with a transfer composition containing a pigment or dye suspended in a wax or wax-like material in admixture with softening oils or plasticizers, applied with or without a. volatile solvent, can. be obviated either by pretreatment of the coated web prior to cutting of the ribbon therefrom or by subsequent treatment of the ribbon.

Thus, I have found that the aforesaid disadvantages. can be obviated by allowing the coated web to age for about 12 hours or longer, then subjecting it to heat treatment, e. g. by passing the web over a heated roller, ata sufficiently elevated temperature and. at a suitable rate to effect fusion of the wax in the transfer coating, and then allowing the coating to-solidify on cooling.

When the web is treated in this manner, and then cut into ribbons, Iihave found that much cleaner cuts are produced,.and that displacement of particlesof transfer composition at the edges of the ribbon is substantially eliminated. Moreover, the surface-film or skin of sticky-wax is eliminated, so that theribbon no longer tends to stick to the rollersor guidesof a typing machine.

Loose particles of the transfer compositionare not deposited on the rear surface of the ribbon, and do not build up as a deposit on the ribbon guides. Hence, breakage of the ribbon during operation of the feed mechanisms of the typing device by reason of the ribbon sticking. at such pressure points is avoided. In addition, I have found that impressions produced from the web, or a ribbon cut. therefrom, which has been. subjected to the foregoing treatment, are much clearer and sharper than those produced. from the untreated web or. ribbon.

Whilethe reasons. for the advantageous; effect of the. aging and heat treatmentof. this invention are not fully understood, .anditis not. in-

. tended to limit. the invention to. any theory of operation, apartial. explanation may be. that the aging of. the web for ..ab.out.12 hoursor more permits the softening oils. in the transfer. coating.

the wax and pigment. in somewhat. looselycohesive condition on thesurface of. the foundation, the wax forming a skin on the surface. of the coating. When the web. is. subjected, after aging. to heatItreatme nt inaccord'ance with. my.

invention so as to melt the wax, the wax in the skin is apparently absorbed into the body of the ink and forms a relatively homogeneous mass therewith having greatly improved cohesion, and more uniform adhesion to the foundation. When ribbons arev cut from such a web, the transfer composition does not break up at the'edges, does not deposit on or stick to the rear surface of the ribbon or to the guides or rollers of the machine over which it passes, and produces clearer and sharper copies.

My inventionwill be more readily understood from the following example which illustrates a preferred procedure in accordance with my in vention.

Example 1 1 fatty. substance. such. as. lanoline, a water-- or spirit.soluble. dyestuif such, as crystal violet in finely divided state, andif desired,. a volatile solvent such as petroleum naptha. The coating is preferably applied: while heating sothat the wax-like and oily portionsthereof are. liquified, and after cooling, the. coated web is wound on a core, to form a roll.

The coated web. is thenallowed. to age for about 12 hours or longer. After aging, the web is unrolled, and passed progressively over a heated roller with the rear surface of, the web in contact with the roller. The roller. isheated at sufliciently elevated temperature-over the. melting pointof the ink, e. g. 14.0 F. to 350 and the rate of passage of the web. is: adjusted so as tofuse the wax contained in the coating. After leaving the heated roller, the web isallowed to cool, and is then rewound on a suitable" cor-e, e. g. a cardboardtubaxto form-a-firm-roll of substantial length and diameter. The. roll'is then placed on a spindle on which it is rotated, and is cut at right angles to its. axis into a.-series of spools of ribbon of desired width. A circular blade, fiat on one side, with-itsedgebevelled on the other side is employed for-cutting the'spools of ribbon from the roll, the blade being rotated about an axis parallelto that of the roll, and having its fiat side facing the uncut portion of the roll.

The ribbons thus formed from the aged and heat-treated web are exceptionally clean, having substantially no dislodged particles of transfer composition at their edges, or on the rear surface of the ribbon. The. sticky'skin or-surfacefilm of wax is eliminated. vIn use,,theribbon passes readily over the guides of a hectowriter, without deposition of transfer. ,composition thereon to form pressure points, andwithout. deposition on other. parts of the machine. Tearingof the ribbon during usel-is thuspracticallyeliminated.

The ribbon. can bel-gli'a'ndled. for installation in the machine without .substantialsoilingof the hands, and the machinejremainsi clean'sothat clean. copies. can. be readily made, Moreover, the transfer propertiesof the main body of-thecoating are improved. by fusion of .theawax. occurring therein during'the treatment, and sharper. clearer inscriptions are produced evidently-as av result the titansfenccmpositicn.

ofv the homogenizing eifect of.; the treatment on 76..

.The treatment described in the foregoing ex, ample can be applied with similar effect in .the production of ribbons having a foundation of paper alone, or paper coated on its rear surface with a lacquer or varnish, or paper secured to a backing film other than cellulose'acetate, e. g. to cellophane. Theadvantages of the treatment are most pronounced in the case of ribbons having a hectograph. transfer coating thereon, because of the rapid operationof feed mechanisms in hectowriters .which increases the tendency to tear the ribbon, and because of the relatively large amount of coloring material in the transfer composition rendering deposition thereof on the machine especially obnoxious. treatment of the invention can also be applied with advantage'to transfer coated webs having a non-textile paper-like foundation and a pigmented coating of the kind used on ordinary carbon paper.

While the foregoing example represents a preferred procedure in accordance with my invention, variations can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus,

instead of passing the web of coated foundation over a heated roller, it can be passed through a heating zone, in which it is subjected to infrared radiation sufficient to fuse the wax in the coating.

Moreover, I have found that ribbons having advantages similar to those obtained in the foregoing example can be secured by subjecting the ribbons to similar heat treatment after they have been cut from a roll of transfer coated Web, and

at least 12 hours after the transfer coating is applied to the web, to allow for aging. For example, the ribbon can be unwound from a spool cut from a roll of the coated foundation: and passed progressively over a heated roller in the same manner as in the foregoing example, or through an infra-red heating zone, so as to fuse the wax in the transfer coating. After cooling, the ribbon is rewound into a spool, substantially uniform tension being preferably maintained during rewinding.

The preferred method for heat treating the ribbon after it is cut from a roll of transfer coated foundation, comprises passing the ribbon progressively through a flame at a suflicient rate of speed to avoid scorching the ribbon, but to cause fusion of the coating composition particularly at the edge of the ribbon, to fuse particles adhering to the back of the ribbon, and to singe off Whiskers, nicks and slittings'along the edges thereof. In this method of treatment the ribbon 5 is passed horizontally through a flame with its rear surface facing the source of the flame, so that the fusing effect is strongest at the edges of the ribbon. The spool of ribbon is unwound, progressively passed through the flame, and then re- Wound under constant tension on a suitable spool. I have found that heating ribbons and rewinding in this manner practically eliminates the develop' ment of imperfections during storage, as a result of uniformity of tension existing in the re-wound spool. Fusion of particles of transfer composition adhering to the edge and back of the ribbon substantially eliminates deposition of the particles on the ribbon guides of a machine, thus avoiding the formation of pressure points.

Whiskers and slittings are largely eliminated by singeing, and the nicks are smoothed over. As a result, the danger of tearing the ribbon during passage over the guides of a, typing machine upon However, the

spool of ribbon is clean to handle, and the machine remains clean during operation, so that the operator is not troubled by soiling the hands with transfer composition, and production of clean copies is greatly facilitated.

The following example illustrates the latter method of treating a transfer ribbon in accordance with the invention, after it has been cut from a relatively wide web of transfer-coated foundation.

Example 2 A web of foundation material as described in Example 1, is coated on its paper side with a hectograph transfer composition as set out in the first example; the coated web-is wound on a cardboard tube as a, core to form a firm roll of substantial length and diameter, and the roll is then cut into spools of ribbon in the same manner as in Example 1.

An average ribbon produced in the aforesaid manner is found on examination to have the transfer composition fractured along the edge, and loose particles thereof adhere to the back of the ribbon, or remain loose on its coated surface. Moreover, fibres' of the paper or whiskers project from the edge, and at frequent intervals, slittings (i. e. narrow strips of the ribbon slit from the edge by slight deviation of the blade from its plane of rotation) remain. At some points, nicks are formed, constituting potential severance points. The condition of one edge of the ribbon is for the most part considerably worse in the foregoing respects than the other, because of differenoe in the surfaces of the cutting blade employed.

In accordance with my invention, at least 12 hours after application of the coating to the foundation, the spool of ribbon is placed on a spindle, and the end thereof attached to a second spool on which it is to be rewound, the ribbon between the spools preferably having its transfer coated surface facing upward. Rewinding is then be-- gun, maintaining uniform tension in the ribbon between the spools. At the same time, a flame, for example, a moderately adjusted Bunsen burner flame, is applied to the ribbon as it passes from one spool to the other, the speed of the ribbon and the intensity of the flame being adjusted to avoid scorching the body of the ribbon, but at the same time, to sin'ge 01f whiskers and slittings at the edge of the ribbon, and to fuse the transfer composition at least at the edges. A suitable rate of passage of the ribbon through the flame is about 10 to 50 feet per minute.

The ribbon thus treated is found on examination to be substantially free of whiskers and slittings, and nicks are smoothed out. Loose particles of transfer composition are no longer present at the edges or on the backof the ribbon,

but are coalesced by fusion, and adhere firmly to .the ribbon. The rewound spool is characterized .by uniform tension, thus eliminating any tendency to deteriorate on standing, often inherentin the original spool because of non-uniform tension caused by the cutting operation. In use and properties, the ribbon thus treated is characterized by the same advantages as a ribbon produced according to Example 1.

When the ham; treatment is applied to a ribbon after it is cut from a roll, as in Example 2, I have found further that it is possible to dispense with the aging of the coated foundation, prior to the heat treatment, without sacrificing any substan operation of the ribbon feed is eliminated. The tial part of the advantages characterizing'the ribbon produced' 1 in accordance with the latter example.

Variations: and .mod-i fications maybe made within the 'scope'of this invention and: portions or the improvements maybe used without others.

I claim:

1;. In the production of a transfer ribbon by coating one surface of a relatively'wi'de strip" of pliable porous non-textile membranous fabric as a foundation with a normally solid wax-containing transfer compositiomand cutting said ribbon from the coated strip, the improvement which "comprises aging said coating for at least '12" hours after application'to said foundation, then heat ing said strip so as to melt the wax in the transfer composition, allowing the coating to solidify oncooling, and then cutting the strip into rib- 'bons of relatively narrow width.

2'. The method of making'a spool of transfer ribbon which comprises applying a coating of a normally solid wax-containing transfer composition to one surface of a relatively wide stri of paper foundation, aging 'said coating for at least 12 hours after application to said foundation, passing said strip progressively through a 'l'ieat'i'ng zonewhile controlling the temperature of said zone and the rate of passage of said strip therethrough so as to' melt the wax in said transfer composition, allowlngthe coating to solidify as said strip passes'beyondsaid zone, winding said strip into a roll and cutting said roll at right angles to'its axis'to form a spool of transfer ribbon.

3. The method defined inolaim 2 whereinxsaid coating is a normally solid wax-containing hectograph transfer composition.

' 4. In the production of'a transfer strip slit from a wider web and having a pliable, porous, non-textile membranou fabric and a' coating of normally solid oleous' wax-containing transfer composition on one surface of said fabric, the improvement which comprises allowing the coating to'ageuntil the oils in the coating are partially' absorbed by the fabric; then heating the coating so as to melt the wax and effect the re-blending of the unabsorbed portions of the transfer"composition; and cooling the coating'to solidify the same;

5.v The method as defined in claim 4 in which the coating of transfer material is aged and heated before the webis slit into strips.

6. The method as defined in-claim 4 which includes the steps'of. windingthe web to form a roll,slitting the roll to form spools, after which nbers, slittings and loose flakes of.

"'" a suflicientrater to. singe-= om any-whiskers or 'slittings onv the edges 01 thestrip and further to cause any'fla'kes of. the transfer coating cling- 'ing to the strip to befused and; upon coalescence,

to adhere to the strip;

9; In the treatmentof atr'ansfer." ribbonslit from a wider .strip" and having a pliable, non,-

-.textile, membranous fabric, and a. coating'of a normally solid transfer composition. on. one. sur- :face of thefa-bric, said ribbon as a result of. being slit being liable to have'whiskers, slittings' and nicks along anedgethereof and dislodgedifiakes of coating composition. clingingto the back and adjacent the edgesthereof, themethod which :comprises travelingthei ribbon. through atfiame at Ia suffi'cient rate of; speed to: singe off. the whisker and. slittings and. fuse the coating. at. the edges of. the ribbon to closesaid nick's and. to adhere to theribbomflakes clinging thereto:

10. A typewriter ribbon of the type'slitfrom a wider web having a paper." surface thereon carrying a coatingiof. normally solidwax-contains ing transfer composition, the cut edges of the paper surface and coating-being consolidated by said composition so that the .edges are smooth and devoid: of projecting; paper. fibers, slittings and loose flakes of transfer. composition.

11. A typewriter ribbon-of the type slit from a wider web having a paper surface thereon carrying a homogenizedcoating of normally solid wax-containing transfer composition, the: out edges of thepaper. surface and. coatingv being consolidated by' said composition so that the edges are smooth and. devoid of projecting paper transfer composition.

12. A typewriter ribbonuof. the type slit from .a Wider webhaving" a laminated foundation in:-

cluding afilm layer and a layer'of paper carry- -ing a coating of normally solid: wax-containing transfer compositiom the cut edges of the film,

paper and coating? being" consolidated by said composition so. that the: edges are smooth: and devoid of projecting. paper fibers and slittings.

DOUGLAS A.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in. the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,396,403 Buckley Nov; 8, 1921 1,470,282 Newman-dawn---" Oct. 9, 1923 1,533,382 Campbellz Apr. 14', 1925 1,546,747 Pembroke: July 21, 1925 1 ,700,415 Neidich Jan. 29, 1929 1,772,553 Moller Aug. 12, 1930 1,835,741 Allen ..1 Dec. 8, 1931 1,913,704 Elkan, June 13, 1933 2,066,687 Hudspeth. vJan. 5, 1937 2,255,104: Dixon Sept. 9, 1941 

10. A TYPEWRITER RIBBON OF THE TYPE SLIT FROM A WIDER WEB HAVING A PAPER SURFACE THEREON CARRYING A COATING OF NORMALLY SOLID WAX-CONTAINING TRANSFER COMPOSITION, THE CUT EDGES OF THE PAPER SURFACE AND COATING BEING CONSOLIDATED BY SAID CCOMPOSITION SO THAT THE EDGES ARE SMOOTH AND DEVOID OF PROJECTING PAPER FIBERS, SLITTINGS AND LOOSE FLAKES OF TRANSFER COMPOSITION. 